Balkan Dreams
Travel to Bosnia. The border area still shows sad memories of the conflict in the 1990s. Visit Zagreb, Maglaj, Sarajevo, Mostar, Medjugorge, Kravice, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Budva, Tirana, Struga, Ohrid, Kastoria, Meteora, Kalabaka, Thessalonica, Melnik, Sandansk, Rila, Sofia, Bachkovo, Plovdiv, Kazanlak, Shipka, Etara, Arbanassi, Veliko, Tarnovo, Dimitar, Basarbovski, Bucharest.
DAY 01 WED. Zagreb.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Zagreb sightseeing tour. Dinnerincluded.
Welcome to ZAGREB! Upon arrival at the airport, we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Our guide will arrive with the group from Slovenia around lunch time. Then we will take a sightseeing tour with a local guide. We will have a chance to admire its two hills, the upper town and the new neighbourhoods of Croatia’s capital city. Dinner included.
DAY 02 THU. Zagreb – Maglaj – Sarajevo.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Sightseeing tour of Sarajevo. Tunnel of Hope. Dinner included.
We will leave first thing in the morning to travel to Bosnia. The border area still shows sad memories of the conflict in the 1990s. First stop MAGLAJ, take a stroll around this pretty Bosnian village, then enjoy some lunch. We continue our journey to SARAJEVO, arriving in the mid- afternoon. With a local guide, we will take a panoramic tour of this city with strong Turkish influence: its Mosques, its Madrasahs, and its busy bazaars. We will also see the Tunnel of Hope that saved the city during the Serbian siege. Dinner included. Note: Depending on the arrival time, the Tunnel of Hope can also be visited on Friday before leaving for Mostar.
DAY 03 FRI. Sarajevo – Mostar – Medjugorge – Kravice – Dubrovnik.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful landscapes throughout the stage: mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, picturesque villages en route. Dinnerincluded.
Another exciting drive of scenic beauty. Amidst deep valleys, we travel to MOSTAR, with its very beautiful historic centre and Stonebridge separating the Orthodox, Muslim and Catholic communities. After lunch, we stop in MEDJUGORJE, a place that attracts thousands of Catholic Pilgrims. We then travel to KRAVICE, we stop at its magnificent waterfalls before continuing to CROATIA. Border procedures (which may be long). We will then arrive into DUBROVNIK at the end of the day. Dinner included. Note: From the end of October to the end of March it is not possible to visit the Kravice waterfalls.
DAY 04 SAT. Dubrovnik .-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Panoramic tour of Dubrovnik. Cable car ride. Dinner included.
In the morning we enjoy a panoramic tour of DUBROVNIK with a local guide. We are undoubtedly in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, surrounded by walls, bathed by the Adriatic Sea; its intact historic centre is a jewel of world architectural heritage. The tour includes tickets to the Franciscan Monastery with the oldest pharmacy in Europe, and the Cathedral. We also take the cable car to give us a fantastic view of the city and the neighbouring islands. You can then enjoy free time, returning to the hotel at the end of the afternoon. Dinner included. Note: Accommodation in Dubrovnik will be in Kavtat, a coastal town near the city.
DAY 05 SUN. Dubrovnik- Kotor- Budva- Tirana.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful scenery of the Adriatic coast. Dinnerincluded.
We set off early for MONTENEGRO. The coastal scenery and the Bay of Kotor are beautiful. We enjoy a ferry to cross the bay. Arrive in KOTOR to enjoy some time strolling in this beautiful walled town with its strong Venetian influence. After this we stop in BUDVA, a marvellous walled village surrounded by the sea to enjoy lunch. Then we travel to ALBANIA. We arrive in the capital of the Albania, TIRANA, and enjoy some free time. Dinner included.
DAY 06 MON. Tirana- Struga- Ohrid.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Panoramic tour of Tirana. Slow mountains roads through rural areas. Dinner included.
Today we make a panoramic tour of TIRANA, with its Mosques, the Clock Tower and the ministries. At around midday, we leave for inland Albania, with high mountain scenery and small villages along the way. Enjoy the beautiful countryside around Lake Ohrid which forms the border with Macedonia. We continue to the Republic of Macedonia, and onto STRUGA, a picturesque town on the shores of the lake, time for lunch! We continue to OHRID, a city with a strong Ottoman influence, you can stroll and see the Plaosnik Monastery, or the ancient university founded in the ninth century. The city is declared World Heritage. Dinner included.
DAY 07 TUE. Ohrid-Kastoria-Meteora-Kalabaka.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful Balkan landscapes. Spectacular in the Meteora. Dinner included.
Today we travel through Macedonia to GREECE, passing through BITOLA, a historic city that was called the “City of Consuls”. The North of Greece is strongly Slav and Ottoman in influence and has a sharp landscape. Situated by the lake, with beautiful scenery, we see KASTORIA. Enjoy the city of 100 churches, with its medieval streets and its pleasant restaurants on the lakeside. Continuing to KALABAKA, we will arrive in the early afternoon. We will visit the Valley of the Meteora, an impressive place declared UNESCO World Heritage. You will also have the chance to enter one of its most famous Monasteries (entrance included). Dinner included.
DAY 08 WED. Kalabaka- Thessalonica- MelnikSandanski.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful landscapes of Macedonia. Dinner included.
We travel through the North of Greece, amidst pretty mountain scenery, to the Aegean Sea. Arrive in THESSALONICA with time for a stroll and lunch in Greece’s second largest city. After this we continue towards BULGARIA, and the border pass. In Bulgarian Macedonia we stop in MELNIK, a picturesque museum village in beautiful scenery amidst a wine producing area. Arrive in SANDANSKI, at this beautiful small spa city, the birthplace of Spartacus. Dinner and accommodation.
DAY 09 THU. Sandanski- Rila- Sofia.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Rila monastery. City tour of Sofia.
We visit the beautiful Rila Monastery, the heritage of mankind, with its appearance of a fortress surrounded by forests. We continue to SOFIA, where we arrive at the end of the morning. After lunch, we include a tour of the capital of Bulgaria, where we will see the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the Russian Church, the Mosque, its squares and avenues of Stalinist architecture. Rest of day at leisure.
DAY 10 FRI. Sofia- Bachkovo- Plovdiv.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Plovdiv. Dinner included.
In the morning we will leave for BACHKOVO MONASTERY, Bulgaria’s second most important monastery, founded in the eleventh century, with its three churches, we feel it as a place full of peace. Continue to PLOVDIV, where we will visit the city, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Here we include tickets to the Roman Amphitheatre, the ancient chemist’s and the Armenian House. Dinner included.
DAY 11 SAT. Plovdiv- Kazanlak- Shipka- Etara- Arbanassi- Veliko Tarnovo.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Balkans mountain. Thracian tomb, Church of Nativity in Arbanassi. Lunch included.
Today’s journey takes us through beautiful scenery across the Balkans mountain range. In the valley of the Roses, we will see KAZANLAK, where tickets are included to the replica of the Thracian Tomb (Heritage of Mankind) and we will learn about the production of products derived from the roses. Amidst the mountains, we stop at the Russian church of SHIPKA, which com- memorates the war between Russia and Turkey. Visit ETARA with its charming village/ethnographic museum. Lunch included. After this we travel to ARBANASSI, an ancient trading city with its fortress-houses, where we visit the Church of the Nativity with entrance included. Travel to VELIKO TARNOVO, Bulgaria’s former capital, with a very picturesque medieval centre. Note: In some cases, Arbanassi may be visited on Sunday morning instead of Saturday.
DAY 12 SUN. Veliko Tarnovo- Dimitar Basarbovski- Bucharest.-
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Panoramic tour of Bucharest. Dinner included.
We travel to Romania and on our way we will stop to visit the BASARBOVSKI MONASTERY, a place of pilgrimage dug out of the rock. We proceed to cross the border and the river Danube, arriving to BUCHAREST in the early afternoon. Time for lunch, then we will take a panoramic tour of the city with its ancient quarter and the giant Parliament Palace. Leisure time followed by dinner.
DAY 13 MON. Bucharest.-
After breakfast, end of our services.
- Travel by bus with English speaking guide.
- Basic travel insurance.
- Hotels according to the itinerary.
- Breakfast buffet.
- Arrival transfer
- City tour in: Zagreb, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Tirana
- Ticket admission: Tunnel of Hope in Sarajevo, Kravice Waterfall, Franciscan Monastery and Cathedral in Dubrovnik
- Ferry: Kotor Bay
- Funicular: Dubrovnik
- 5 Lunch or Dinner Included in: Zagreb (01), Sarajevo (01), Dubrovnik (02), Tirana (01)
- City tour in: Sofia
- Ticket admission: Monastery in Meteora Valley, Rila Monastery
- 3 Lunch or Dinner Included in: Ohrid (01), Kalabaka (01), Sandanski (01)
- City tour in: Plovdiv, Bucharest
- Ticket admission: Roman Amphitheater, The Ancient Botica and The Armenian House in Plovdiv, Thracian Tomb Replica in Kazanlak, Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, Basarbovski Monastery
- 3 Lunch or Dinner Included in: Plovdiv (01), Etara (01), Bucharest (01)
2022
- May.22: 04, 18
- Jun.22: 01, 15, 29
- Aug.22: 03, 17, 31
- Oct.22: 05
- Dec.22: 28
2023
- Jan.23: 11
- Feb.23: 15
- Mar.23: 01, 15
PRICES PER PERSON
SEASON DBL SINGL
High S. $2.507 $3.154
Mid S. $2.672 $3.328
Low S. $2.410 $3.056
- On the high-speed train, passengers will travel without the guide.
- Depending on the arrival time, the Tunnel of Hope can also be visited on Friday before leaving for Mostar.
- From the end of October to the end of March it is not possible to visit the Kravice waterfalls.
- Accommodation in Dubrovnik will be in Kavtat, a coastal town near the city
- In some cases, Arbanassi may be visited on Sunday morning instead of Saturday.
- It is a general policy in the hotels that may request a deposit of money on arrival at each of the hotels where you will be staying. This deposit is charged at the time of check in and is refunded upon departure if you did not make any expenses at the hotel.
- The space in the holds of the coaches and in the train wagons is limited and this determines the maximum amount of luggage authorized per passenger on our circuits: one suitcase per person and one handbag. Carrying more luggage than allowed can be checked in at destination.